I write a version of this blog every year.
Not because I've run out of things to say (that'll be the day), but because I think it's important. And because, every year, without fail, the same question comes my way.
"Do you think we can get my book out in time for Christmas?"
It's a perfectly reasonable question. Indeed, almost every author or publishing client I work with asks it at some point.
And I understand why.
Christmas is, after all, the season of giving. Books make wonderful presents. Bookshops are busy, online retailers are doing a roaring trade and there's something rather appealing about imagining your own book sitting beneath somebody's Christmas tree, waiting to be unwrapped.
Perhaps even with a little gift tag attached.
To Dad. Thought you'd enjoy this. Merry Christmas.
Lovely.
But here's the thing.
Christmas isn't necessarily the best time to publish a book.
And, in some circumstances, it might be one of the worst.
Let me explain.
When a client asks whether we can have their book ready for Christmas, my answer is usually another question.
"Can we do it properly?"
If the answer is yes, then fine. We can discuss it.
But if meeting that deadline means rushing the editing, proofreading, typesetting, cover design, printing or any of the other stages involved in producing a professional book, then my answer is an unequivocal no.
Not maybe.
Not we'll see how we get on.
No.
Because a book that has taken somebody months, perhaps years, to write deserves better than to be hurried through its final stages simply because Father Christmas is checking his diary.
And errors have an irritating habit of appearing when people are in a hurry.
A missed typo. A formatting problem. A paragraph that disappears somewhere between the manuscript and the printed page. A cover that looked wonderful on a computer screen but rather less wonderful when it arrived from the printer.
These things can happen even when everybody is being careful.
Rush the process and you're inviting them in.
And once a book is out there, particularly in print, putting things right isn't always straightforward. Or inexpensive.
I'd much rather see a beautifully produced book published in February than a flawed one hurried out in December.
Every time.
Now, let's consider the commercial argument.
Christmas is a huge market for books. Of course it is.
But it's also an extraordinarily crowded one.
The major publishers know perfectly well that books make excellent Christmas presents. Which is why the autumn publishing schedules are packed with celebrity autobiographies, cookbooks, sporting memoirs, children's titles, beautifully illustrated gift books and the latest offerings from established bestselling authors.
Many of these books arrive with something else.
Enormous marketing budgets.
National publicity campaigns. Newspaper interviews. Television appearances. Radio promotions. Advertising. Prime positions in bookshops.
And, in some cases, an author whose face is already familiar to millions.
Now, imagine your newly published book arriving in the middle of all that.
Unless you have a substantial promotional campaign ready to go, you're potentially asking it to compete for attention in one of the noisiest periods of the publishing year.
And noise, as we all know, doesn't necessarily mean anybody is listening.
This doesn't mean an independent author cannot sell books at Christmas.
Far from it.
But it does mean that publishing in time for Christmas and successfully selling books at Christmas are two very different things.
Your book needs time to find its feet
There's another consideration, and it's one that I think is frequently overlooked.
A book doesn't suddenly acquire an audience simply because it has been published.
Readers need to discover it.
They need to hear about it, see it, perhaps read a review or listen to an interview with its author.
Bookshops and other potential stockists need approaching. Promotional material needs preparing. Local media may need contacting. Events, talks and signings need arranging.
And all of this takes time.
It's no good publishing a book on 10 December and expecting it to become the must-have Christmas gift by the 15th.
Unless, of course, you've written the autobiography of a particularly controversial member of the Royal Family.
Even then, I'd suggest having a marketing plan.
For independent authors especially, building an audience is often a gradual process. It involves conversations, recommendations, appearances, reviews and, perhaps most importantly, persistence.
A carefully planned launch in January, February or March may offer considerably more opportunities to attract attention than a hurried arrival during the Christmas frenzy.
And here's something else worth remembering.
People buy books all year round. No, really. Even in January, February and March.
Birthdays happen. Holidays happen. Anniversaries happen. People retire, become interested in family history, discover new authors or simply fancy something good to read.
There are eleven other months in the year, and not one of them requires you to compete with a celebrity chef flogging his latest collection of festive leftovers.
And what happens after Christmas?
This is another reason I'm cautious about the seasonal rush.
Suppose you do manage to publish your book in early December.
Wonderful.
You announce it, promote it, perhaps sell a few copies to friends and family and enjoy the considerable satisfaction of finally holding the finished article in your hands.
Then Christmas arrives.
People become occupied with family, travelling, eating, drinking and wondering why they bought quite so many Brussels sprouts.
Then comes New Year.
And suddenly it's January.
The festive excitement has evaporated, household budgets may be tighter and your book, which was brand new only a few weeks earlier, has already lost some of its initial launch momentum.
Of course, a well-planned campaign can continue into the new year. But that's precisely my point.
Why not plan that campaign properly in the first place?
Why not choose a publication date that allows you to make the most of the opportunities available, rather than one dictated by a single day on the calendar?
There are exceptions. Of course there are.
So I should make something clear.
I'm not suggesting that nobody should publish a book for Christmas.
There are perfectly good reasons for doing so.
A Christmas-themed children's story, for example, has an obvious seasonal audience. A beautifully produced local history book might make an excellent gift, particularly if it's supported by local bookshops and Christmas events.
An established author with an existing readership and a properly organised promotional campaign may also benefit considerably from an autumn release.
And if your book is already finished, professionally edited, proofread, designed and ready to go, then there may be no reason whatsoever to delay publication.
But that's rather different from deciding in October that a manuscript which still needs substantial work simply must be on sale by December.
That's not a publishing strategy.
That's a race against the clock.
And the clock doesn't particularly care whether you've spotted that embarrassing spelling mistake on page 147.
Take this into consideration as well.
I work with people who have extraordinary stories to tell.
Some have spent years researching them. Others have entrusted me with deeply personal experiences, family histories, memories or ideas that mean a tremendous amount to them.
For many, their book represents something far greater than a commercial product.
It's a legacy.
An achievement.
Something to leave behind.
And I take that responsibility seriously.
Which is why I won't knowingly compromise the quality of a book simply to meet an arbitrary deadline.
The same principle applies to my publishing business.
I want every book we produce to be something its author can be proud of, not just on the day it arrives from the printer, but in five, ten or twenty years' time.
Nobody is going to pick up your book in 2036 and complain that it wasn't published in time for Christmas 2026.
But they might notice the mistakes.
So, if you're currently writing a book, or working with somebody like me to bring one to publication, by all means have a target date.
Deadlines are useful. They give a project direction and purpose.
Just make sure the deadline serves the book.
Not the other way round.
And if somebody asks whether your book will be available for Christmas, there's a perfectly good answer.
"Possibly. But I'd rather make sure it's worth waiting for."
After all, a good book isn't just for Christmas.
And unlike the turkey, it should still be perfectly enjoyable long after Boxing Day.
